34 
peculiarities of the season, the extremely wet spring and early sum- 
mer, followed by average weather, has had the effect not only to 
modify the development of the chinch-bug, but to change considerably 
the time, character and importance of its attacks on the crops. 
During the first half of the year, I was not responsible for work 
on the economic entomology of the State, and was altogether too 
much occupied with other duties to make it possible to study the 
life histories of injurious insects personally with any careful atten- 
tion; but I instructed my entomological assistant, Mr. F. M. Web- 
ster, to watch closely for the appearance of the chinch-bug, and to 
follow it throughout the year. He reported at frequent intervals the 
occurrence of the adult in considerable numbers in the usual situa- 
tions up to July 1, but was unable to find anywhere any traces of 
eggs or young, nor could he learn of their appearance from farmers, 
or of any injury caused by them to wheat or other small grains in 
the vicinity of Normal. ‘lhe first young specimens were in fact 
found early in July, in corn-fields not far from town. Thinking it 
possible that the extraordinary and long-continued wet weather of 
the first part of the season had prevented either the deposition or 
the hatching of the eggs, atid consequently the appearance of the 
usual first brood, I wrote to several correspondents, stating the suppo- 
sition which I entertained, and making the following inquiries: Did 
you see any young chinch-bugs previous to July 1 or thereabouts ? 
Did you search for them, or would you have been likely to see 
them if they had occurred in your vicinity? I received replies only 
from Prof. Burrill, of the Industrial University at Champaign, from 
Dr. E. R. Boardman, of Elmira, Stark county, and from D. 8. 
Harris, of Cuba, Fulton county. 
Prof. Burrill’s reply was as follows: ‘‘No; the bugs’of July 12 
wintered over in the adult state. I think, however, this is altogether 
exceptional, and grew out of the fact that they could not deposit 
their eggs, if, indeed, produce them, on account of the wet and 
cold. At any rate, I am positive that no early brood came out in 
our section of the State.” 
Dr. Boardman says: ‘‘Yours of the 4th received. In reply, I 
would say that I had carefully searched for the chinch-bug from 
early spring until the time of our field meeting, in June, and failed 
to find a single young chinch-bug. I found a few old ones, but not 
nearly as many as I found one year ago. On the 17th of June, at 
Burlington, Lowa, I saw the old bugs in very large numbers for the 
first time this season. They were flying in immense swarms east- 
ward, and on my return home I learned that their flight was noticed 
here on the 19th, when they alighted in the corn-fields, and in some 
fields literally covered the corn, but did not remain more than 
twenty-four hours in such numbers. In my trip through Lowa, I 
carefully searched where [ thought I would be most likely to find 
the young, but found none. I saw a few old ones, but not in any 
quantity; their flight had been observed as far west as Creston, 
which was as far as I went in that direction. The first young bugs 
that I found in this locality were collected about the 10th of July. 
I think I am as favorably situated for finding them as any one in 
this locality, as my land is rolling, and I cultivate wheat every 
year. The damage done by them here this year was very trifling, 
